EXTRACTS: Illustrators Crime Comics Special © 2020 Book Palace Books (144 pages in full edition)

87 Moving to New York, he secured a job with Eastern Colour Printing, where he found himself rubbing shoulders with Max Gaines, who would go on to become the publisher of the All American line of comics and whose son, Bill Gaines, would achieve notoriety as the publisher of the EC line of horror comics. Teaming up with Arthur Bernhardt, whose connections and knowledge of the intricacies of magazine production and distribution were impeccable, they started a company of their own and launched their first comic book under the title of Silver Streak Comics (named after Bernhardt’s car—a Silver Streak Pontiac), cover dated December 1939. The first few issues were run-of-the-mill fare, but with the introduction of a new superhero named Daredevil in issue 6, and now bearing the imprint of Lev Gleason publications, fortunes were about to change… Lev’s liberal principles informed all aspects of his day-to-day affairs and the benefits his fair-mindedness as regards his business practices were about to transform the lives of Wood and Biro. Evidently taken with the work that LEFT: The cover to ‘Daredevil Battles Hitler’, published in July 1941 and scripted by Charles Biro. Published some months before the US entered the war, it not only resonated with Gleason’s anti- fascist sentiments, but also resonated with readers throughout the US. BELOW: A page from ‘Daredevil Battles Hitler’ with art by Bob Wood. Wood’s artistic activity gradually diminished as he assumed editorial responsibilities and work was farmed out to other artists.